Erik Pieters has been at Stoke City long enough for it to become a tradition: a sometimes lonely full-time walk around the bet365 Stadium to applaud the supporters.

The left-back is happier when the ground is still full after a win but realises it’s probably more important on a bitterly cold mid-week night after a defeat.

“I always appreciate the fans,” he said. “On Wednesday night it wasn’t the warmest night at Stoke so for me going around the ground thanking the people is the least I can do. They come and watch you and support you even in tough times and I respect that a lot.

“I appreciate the support – including from my wife coming in that weather. I appreciate everyone coming to watch our team in good times and bad. That’s our strength as a club.

“The beautiful thing in football is that you win, lose and draw all together as players and fans – and there is always another game to get it right again a week later or in this case a couple of days later.”

The key thing, as Stoke stutter at the wrong end of the table, is to put it right sooner rather than later.

There are seven games in December, including three at home against three teams below them – Swansea, West Ham and West Brom. A couple of intimidating trips to Tottenham and Chelsea sandwich away games at Burnley and Huddersfield.

Pieters said: “We know Liverpool are a good team, there were decisions during the game we couldn’t help and it was a difficult game we have to forget about because we immediately have another match.

“You don’t have a lot of time at this stage of the season to stop and say, ‘You did this wrong, you did that wrong.’ Now we are having a bit of a struggle to win games and we’re conceding goals, but the good thing about the Premier League is that you have a lot of games to put it right.

Read More

“In every single match you have to give 100 per cent and trust in your teammates. We are a good side and know what we can do.”

Erik Pieters with Biddulph High students who had taken part in the Premier League Enterprise heats at the bet365 Stadium. (Image: Phil Greig/greigphoto.com for stokecityfc.com)

Stoke are expecting a near capacity crowd this weekend – but yesterday Pieters and chief executive Tony Scholes listened to ideas from local teenagers about how they could also be pulling in more supporters from outside the normal demographic.

Five schools were in the 1863 Suite for this year’s Premier League Enterprise Challenge.

Endon High pupils had a plan to attract more people from the Muslim community while a group from the Excel Academy devised a multi-language gadget for use during games. Leek High students talked up the benefits of installing a prayer room and youngsters from Ormiston Meridian wanted to extend the range of food on offer around headquarters.

Read More

The aftermath as Stoke lose to Liverpool

It was Biddulph High who were crowned champions for their ideas about increasing the number of women who want to go to Stoke matches. They will now represent the club at the regional finals at Leicester’s King Power Stadium in January.

Pieters said: “It’s the perfect thing for kids to show their vision to show how to get more people to the stadium and how you can develop at a club like Stoke. I was happily surprised by how the students were able to speak openly about almost everything.

“It’s a great thing to do. Even as a club like Stoke when you’re not always getting to cup finals you always want to think big.

Read More

“I remember when I was going to sign for Stoke and I came here and I spoke to a lot of people and it struck me immediately that there was a real family feeling. So it’s really good to involve everyone in the club, young and old, and see their ideas.

“People talk about different things that you don’t necessarily always think about: religion, nutrition, halal food. It’s interesting and you have to take everything into consideration.”